Typically, personnel working in environments in which the air is unsafe to breath, such as fire fighters or environmental hazard response workers, wear a respirator mask to which air is supplied. With self-contained breathing apparatus, the respirator mask is supplied with air from cylinders carried on the user's back. However, the weight of such cylinders limits the mobility of the wearer and the amount of air that may be carried is limited. Accordingly, such personnel often utilize a supplied air system, in which air is supplied to the respirator mask from a remote source. Stand-alone pressurized air cylinders, such as those used in self-contained breathing apparatus, may be used as such a remote source of air. Unfortunately, such cylinders are heavy and bulky, and transporting them to facilitate movement of the user is difficult and time consuming. This presents a serious drawback in those situations in which the user must move rapidly, a frequent occurrence when fighting fires. In addition, a way must be found to recharge the cylinders without interrupting the supply of breathing air to the user. As a result of these difficulties, the use of compressed air cylinders as a remote source of breathing air has met with limited success.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a mobile air supply cart that facilitated use of compressed air cylinders as a remote source of air for personnel working in hazardous environments. Such a cart should be readily transportable, even in confined spaces. In addition, such a mobile air supply cart should allow the cylinders to be recharged without interrupting the supply of air to the user.